So glad color and markings isn't a thing in my breed. I would be so frustrated if we lost because of something like a body spot. I assume the standard lists body spots as a fault?

Nope! They aren't a fault.. just undesirable. It's literally a single spot on her butt. One judge could make her BOB and another could dismiss me from the class. I don't agree with it, but each breed has something I guess.

This is the girl I'm showing. As you can see, her body spot is RIGHT on top of her butt. Warning- Pic will be large as it is off FB.

Make sure you line up towards the back so you can watch the people ahead of you. That helps me remember what I'm supposed to do.

Try not to faff too much (I do this way too much). Like moving legs back and forth, fidgeting with the dog to get a good stand. The dogs don't like it, and it makes you stress lol

Don't use bait at all if you can help it. If your dog is anything like Fred they will heel looking up at you being a good boy, and judges don't like that lol

Don't forget you can take your time, don't feel rushed. When it's your turn to move, gather yourself up, and set off. If you screw your set off up, just go again.

Don't take it too seriously.... Honestly, it's just a fashion show, and I don't know about the US but here it more about the face of the handler than the dog being shown at the end of the day, all a show does is tell you you have a pretty dog, it doesn't tell you anything else about the dog. So don't get too hung up on it!!! That's my take on it all anyway

It's all over in minutes! Blink and you've been round

And good luck!!!

__________________

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They do not know jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing wasn't boring, it was peace."

Bodhi is the opposite of ignorance, the insight into reality which destroys mental afflictions and brings peace.

Nope! They aren't a fault.. just undesirable. It's literally a single spot on her butt. One judge could make her BOB and another could dismiss me from the class. I don't agree with it, but each breed has something I guess.

That would drive me nuts! I can't think of anything like that related to my breed, which is one reason I like showing it, I guess. Of course, there's subjectivity and what one judge thinks is a beautiful coat, another thinks is too much coat, but nothing that would make a judge automatically dismiss a particular dog.

I'm a fair weather show person. If my dog isn't particularly easy to finish, I'm not interested. lol I can't imagine showing in the super popular breeds where it can take an owner/handler years to finish a dog.

I'm a fair weather show person. If my dog isn't particularly easy to finish, I'm not interested. lol I can't imagine showing in the super popular breeds where it can take an owner/handler years to finish a dog.

But then you have the opposite problem with an uncommon breed. We never had competition in the breed ring, so to get points we would have to win at group. Brand new handler, immature dog... tough to do. I would have stayed more interested and motivated if we actually had some competition!

But then you have the opposite problem with an uncommon breed. We never had competition in the breed ring, so to get points we would have to win at group. Brand new handler, immature dog... tough to do. I would have stayed more interested and motivated if we actually had some competition!

I'm in a similar position with my Welshie. Luckily there are a few shows that at least one or two class dogs will show up to every year, but putting together a major is hard. My first show was against one special, who is the #3 Welshie in the country, and in my next two shows I won the breed against one dog and went to the group ring. So yeah, it's very different for uncommon breeds. There are tons of local shows I don't bother going to because I know there won't be competition.

One of the US people correct me if I'm wrong I'm only goin off what we do with the CKC

We don't pick when we go in the ring. The ring steward calls us in by our arm band number and that's the order you go in.

What class is she entered in? If she whont get bored easy then go right when the Jr puppy dogs are called and you can watch all of the classes

Yep, that's correct for the AKC too. You go in order of class, and within the class you are ordered by number. I like to get there early enough to watch a breed or two before mine, so I can see what the judge is having everyone do, because I'm usually in first for my breed with my pup.

Good to know. I know something's are done differently. I haven't been to a AKC event but I am under the impression you get your arm bands from the ring steward where we get them from the show secretary.

But then you have the opposite problem with an uncommon breed. We never had competition in the breed ring, so to get points we would have to win at group. Brand new handler, immature dog... tough to do. I would have stayed more interested and motivated if we actually had some competition!

I was looking at this too, there are virtually no ACDs being shown up here :/. There IS a Facebook group for building majors in my breed, everyone tries to attend the same show, which I would have to utilize if I wanted to finish (unless I managed to win groups).